The present invention generally relates to internal combustion engines and outdoor power equipment powered by such engines, such as lawn mowers, snow throwers, portable generators, etc. More specifically, the present invention relates to a starter system and energy storage system for an engine.
Outdoor power equipment may use an internal combustion engine to drive a tool of the equipment, such as a rotary blade of a lawn mower or an axial cam pump of a pressure washer. Typically the outdoor power equipment includes a brake mechanism that selectively prevents or stops rotation of the tool. The brake may stop a flywheel of the engine, correspondingly stopping the crankshaft and rotating tool coupled to the power takeoff of the crankshaft.
Starting the braked outdoor power equipment may be cumbersome, requiring release of the brake followed by activation of the engine. For lawn mowers and other types of outdoor power equipment, release of the brake may include rotating a bail to draw an inner-wire of a Bowden cable that lifts the brake mechanism. Then, activation of the engine typically further includes manually pulling a recoil starter rope or activating an electric starter for the engine. A need exists for a less-cumbersome and faster process to start the outdoor power equipment.
Furthermore, the outdoor power equipment may include the engine mounted to a frame or a base plate. If an electric starter is included, the starter motor is typically connected to an interface on the handle of the outdoor power equipment so that the operator may activate the starter motor while standing in an operational position, such as behind the handle. During assembly of the outdoor power, a power source, control circuitry, and wiring associated with the starter motor are coupled to the handle, the frame, and the engine, the attachment of which may be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. A need exists for an engine having a starter motor that facilitates efficient assembly of the outdoor power equipment.